Evaluation of Nutritional, Structural and Sensory Properties of Cookies Supplemented with Water Chestnut Flour
Abstract
Trapa natans L. is commonly known as “waste chestnut” or “singhara nuts”. It belongs to an aquatic genus native to tropical and temperate regions. It is commercially recognized due to its nutritional composition and edible fruits. Despite being rich in proteins, minerals, lipids, carbohydrates, polyphenols, vitamins, hydrolysable tannins, and dietary fibres, they have not been fully marketed because they have limited availability. The research investigates the potential application of water chestnut flour in cookies, focusing on rheological, physical, mineral, antimicrobial, and sensory characteristics to enhance the flavor of cookies. The study emphasizes notable characteristics of the water chestnut flour, focusing on its impact on the durability and flavor of the cookies. The proximate analysis of water chestnut flour demonstrated results of protein (4.67±1.86%), crude fat (1.98±0.08%), moisture (65.33±0.45%), ash (2.45±0.14%) crude fiber (0.73±0.05%) and nitrogen-free extract (24.84±0.5%). The dietary value of food is enhanced through mineral component analysis, which indicates the mean values of water chestnut flour were observed in iron (1.54±0.50 mg/100g), phosphorus (45.17±0.65 mg/100g), calcium (127.12±2.32 mg/100g), zinc (32.15±1.32 mg/100g), and potassium (1.84±0.23 mg/100g). The DPPH (45.32±0.23 mg GAE/g) and FRAP (57.73±0.15 TE/g) values of water chestnut flour demonstrate a significant amount of phenolics and flavonoids, which cause strong antioxidant activity. Sensory evaluation showed that the addition of water chestnut flour to cookies affects its flavor, appearance, and acceptance. The flour of freshwater chestnuts has a mild, earthy, and nutty flavor and its application improves the cookie acceptability. The research findings demonstrated that water chestnut flour is a functional ingredient which enhances the sensorial properties, nutritional profile and antioxidant potentials of cookies. Keywords: Water chestnut flour, water chestnut supplemented cookies, physicochemical analyses, proximate analysis.